


A working theory on inevitability

by strawberriesandtophats



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Pacific Rim Uprising Spoilers, Pining, Relationship Study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 08:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14185062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberriesandtophats/pseuds/strawberriesandtophats
Summary: Love was a risk.It always had been.





	A working theory on inevitability

Seeing Newt again was like coming home after a grueling trip, being flooded with comfort so intense that for a moment there was no pain in the world. Herman still gripped his cane tightly, still limped but he felt so light that he could as well have been flying.

It had been ten years of sporadic Skype calls and emails.

They’d met a few times after Newt had left, but it had mostly been at events and only for a brief moment. Newt’s arm had usually found its way across his shoulders or their hands brushing when they reached for the champagne.

And when Newt ducked his head instead of grinning back at him, well, Hermann had just catalogued that as politeness and perhaps some changed perspectives on PDA. He’d taken in the suit too and thought about that being a clear clue about ghost-drifting and the sort of money Newt was making these days.

It was a change from the days of energy drinks and leather jackets. But Hermann had found himself listening to rock music and studying kaiju biology to fill in the gaps of what he’d learned since they’d drifted. He hadn’t even had to excuse himself, people would just nod and gesture at the photograph on his messy desk, commenting that he’d been close to Dr. Geizler in the war.

He spent enough time these days thinking about days spent breathing in far too much chalk and climbing the wooden stairs. Some nights, when the nightmares didn’t come, he dreamed of their arguing or how Newt‘s trembling fingers had felt under his hands when he‘d agreed to drift with him.

Some nights he woke up to a message from Newt that was just a very long playlist with enough bittersweet love songs to make him pause.

They had been each other’s heads, as Newt had said. Their knowledge of each other was bone-deep and more. They knew every shame, every triumph, every fantasy and every memory. And people were made of memories.

 So, Hermann dragged Newt into his office, talking of working together like the old days. He’d thought that it would be enough.

Surely the pull of closeness of ten years in the same lab coupled with kaiju science and meeting with him was something he’d like. And things would slide right back to how they used to be. Hermann was willing to put up with loud music and even shouting if that meant seeing Newt grin at him like he had back in that lab.

It had not been enough.

But when Newt had fought alongside of him in that elevator, hope had sunk its claws into his heart. For a brief second, feeling the smooth fabric of Newt’s jacket against his cheek after he’d grabbed him for a hug, he’d wanted to ask him to come back and stay by his side.

For the rest of their lives, ideally.

The thought that the old Newt wouldn’t have pushed him away had eaten at him for a split second but vanished just as quickly as Newt had pulled him forwards with the promise of taking care of things together.

And when the world had gone to hell, Hermann had found Newt.

Of course he had.

Grabbing him hadn’t been a problem, he’d dreamed about doing that a million times when they’d still been working together, their voices raw from too many arguments.

He’d known that something was wrong, but his heart was hammering too loudly and the world was ending. Again.

So he’d clung to Newton, filing away how their steps matched, every clue that they were finally syncing.

No matter how desperately he’d bargained he hadn’t been able to stop the Precursors. But he had seen the raw fear in Newton’s eyes as he’d pried his fingers off Hermann‘s neck.

Hermann had spent years on end calculating risks. Human beings all built their lives on the hope of a better tomorrow in spite of not knowing a single thing about the future.

Love was always a risk.

It always had been.

Even if it was a calculated one. But it was a risk he had taken before and was willing to take again.

He’d find Newt again.

He’d hunt these damn things down if that meant getting Newt back.

Even if it would take years.

Even if it would take the rest of his life.

 


End file.
